CHIPMUNK INTERVENTION

It was first thing in the morning and I was standing out on my deck, holding a bag of peanuts. My son Alex was already outside and watched as I started to crack open a shell.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Feeding the chipmunk.” I laid the half opened nut on the deck and sat down in the the chair next to Alex, taking a sip of my tea.

“Why do you leave the shell on?” he asked.

“Because it's so cute when he sits and nibbles on the shell until he can get to the nut.” I answered, then lowered my voice. “He's coming...” I whispered.

Alex and I watched as he scurried over to the nut, sat and looked at us for a moment then took the nut in his little paws and began biting at the shell. When he had the nut he dropped the shell on the ground and stuffed the nut in his cheek and scurried away.

“Isn't that the cutest thing you ever saw.” I said to Alex as I went over to pick up the empty shell and replaced it with another half opened peanut.

“How many times do you feed him?” Alex asked.

I sat back in my chair and waited for my little friend to come back. “I don't know.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Two three times a day.” I said. I could see my little guy peeking at me through the fence. “He's on his way back.” I whispered.

He wasn't as cautious as he was before and instead ran straight for the peanut and began breaking open the shell.

“You know once you start feeding him you can't stop.” Alex warned.

“Why would I stop feeding him?”

“If you forgot just one day, or we go away, he's going to do some damage.” Alex added.

We both watched as my little chipmunk ran around the deck looking for other nuts.

“What kind of damage can a little guy like that do?” I said as we watched him jump on top of the chair next to me then up on the tabletop right next to my tea mug before jumping back down and running back to his little burrow.

“Wow! He's getting bold.” I said as looked at my tea mug and wondered if he'd brushed against it. I decided not to take the chance and got up to go make a new cup. “Maybe I should rethink feeding him so much.” I added.

“Too late for that now.” Alex said as he pointed to the top of the stair where my little guy was now sitting and staring at us.

“You've had enough.” I said to him. “It's time to go home.”

Alex looked over at the non-moving rodent. “I don't think he wants to listen to you.”

“Maybe feeding him on the deck was a mistake.” I said as I picked up the bag of peanuts along with my tea mug and headed for the door.

“Are you thinking that now?” Alex was right behind me. As we went inside the chipmunk was right there staring at us though the glass door.

“Wow, why is it that if I'd seen him looking at me a few minutes ago I would have thought it was adorable.” I said. “Now he's kind of creeping me out.”

“That's because you finally realize you've created a monster.” Alex said over his shoulder as he headed down the hall to his room.

“How am I suppose to fix this?” I called out to him.

“I don't know?” Alex called back. “But I'd think of something quick before he chews through the siding and you find him sitting on our counter waiting to be fed.”

I looked back at the chipmunk, who was still staring at me through the door. “You're scaring me.” I whispered to him.

He didn't seem to care.